Check protector



J. A. HUIZENGA. CHECK PROTECTORv FILED JULY 19, 1920.

SHEETSSHEET l Witness.

' f iaitorneus.

Jan. 30,1923. 1,443,574

J. A. HUIZENGA. CHECK PROTECTOR. FILED JULY I9. 1920, 2 SHEETS'SHEET 2 Ia J sauna:

BANK

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I Inventor @yfflu 5% aJ A v 61 1-87! Attorneys.

Patented Jan. 30, 1923.

a; PM

UNE'E'EZD STATE.

errant JOHN A. HUIZENGA, or ROCK VALLEY, owa.

CHECK PROTECTOR.

' Application filed July 19, 1920. Serial No. 397,,3$7.

More particularly it is my object to provide a device adapted to be usedfor protecting checks against alteration, the parts being so arrangedthat the numeral will be printed, together with the word representing,

that numeral. For example, if a check were to be written for $5.12, theoperator would move the device to 5, 1, and 2 and cause the printingoperation to be had. The printing upon the check would be such, thatabove the 5 would be the word five, and above the 1 would be thewordone, and above the 2 would be the word two.

Still a further object is to provide a series of printing discs havinglevers fixed thereto, whereby each disc may be independently rotated,and a main operating lever for moving a printing platen towards theprinting discs and causing a printing operation to be performed.

Still another object is to provide in such a device an inking mechanism,which will operate just before the printing operation is performed andink that portion of the printing discs that is about to print.

Still another object is to provide upon each print-ing'disc along bar,which will print on a check, printing directly behind the dollar signthat is originally on the check. and touching the first figure ordollars por tion of the check and also printing abar between the dollarsand cents portion of the check, and also printing through the name andthrough the date of the check, so as to prevent any possible alterationof any nature whatsoever.

lVith these and other objects in view my invention consists in theconstruction, ar rangeinent' and combination of the various parts of thedevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: i

Figure- 1 shows a front elevation of my check protector. r 1

Figure 2 shows a central, sectional view taken-on the line 22 of Figure1, the position of the inking inechanismfbeing also shown in dottedlines.

Figure 3. shows a portion of a check printed thereonwith my protector.

Figure 4 shows a central, vertical, sectional view taken on the line Mof Figure 2.

Figure 5 shows a detail, side View ofone of the printing discs and thelever for controlling the same.

Figure 6 shows an end view of one of 'the 12 and 13 is the shaft 16,which is provided with a crank handle 17 on one of its outer ends. Thecrank handle 17 serves as" the main operating lever or handle, theoperation of which will be more fully described; Rotatably mounted onthe shaft 16 is the sleeve 18. Mounted on the sleeve 18 are the printingdiscs 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27. Fixed to the printingdiscsjust referred to are the handles or levers 28, 29, 80, 31, 32, 33,3%, 35 and 36 respectively.

Each of the handles or levers 28 to 36 inclusive extend through theslots 37 formed in the curved forward wall 15 of the casing 11. Thelevers at their outer upper ends are bent a quarter turn, so as to formhandle iembers. Each of'the levers 28 to 36 are pivoted to theirrespective printing discs by means of the pivot 38.

Each of the discs are provided with flattened portions in theirperiphery on which is fixed the type 37 for printing. Each flattenedportion provided with a numeral and the word representing that numeral.For era ample, the flattened portion having the number 4 thereon is alsoprovided with the type for printing the word four. Each of the discs isprovided with an enlarged flattened portion 40, as illustrated inFigures 2 and 5 of the drawings, which have no type thereon, but cause along bar to be printed across the check, when the disc is moved to theposition where the flattened portion 40 will engage the platen.

The casing 11 adjacent to the slots 37 is provided with a series ofnotches 41, which are designed to receive and coact with the rib 42formed on each of the handles or levers 27 to 36 inclusive.

On the casing 11 substantially adjacent to each of the notches 41 arethe indicating characters 43. The levers 28 to 36 are adapted to move orslide within the slots 37 and are capable of being locked or yieldinglyheld in any position by the rib 42 being received within one of thenotches 41.

It will be understood that the normal tendencies of the levers will beto rest within one of the notches 41, but when it is de sired to moveone of the levers, the operator grasps the lever at its upper end andmoves it sidewise until it disengages the notch 41, and it is then freeto slide within the slots 37. The locking of the levers within thenotches 41 will keep the printing discs in proper position and preventtheir accidental rotation.

/Vhen it is desired to move, say the disc 19, the lever 28 is engagedand moved forwardly within the slot 37. The moving of the lever in thedirection indicated by the arrow 44 will cause the disc 19 to rotateupon the sleeve 18. In Figures 2 and 5 of the drawings, it will be seenthat the lever 28 is pivoted below the center of the disc and that thelever will rest against the sleeve 18. The forward movement of the lever28 will cause the sleeve 18 to act as a fulcrum for causing the disc 19to rotate. After the disc rotates in the direction indicated by thearrow 44, the lever 28 will disengage the sleeve 18 as a fulcrum andwould normally be moved outwardly out of the casing 15. In order to takecare of this lever movement, the forward wall 15 of the casing 11 is soformed that its lower end is a greater distance from the shaft uponwhich the discs rotate, then the upper edge of the slots 37 are. This soprovides that only a small portion of the levers will always extend outof the casing and through the slots 37 regardless of what position theyare in.

Each of the indicating characters 43 are so placed on the casing, thatwhen the lever. which is in the slot adjacent to it, is moved toposition where it rests substantially adjacent to any of the indicatingcharacters, the corresponding figure and word on the disc fixed to thelever will be moved to and remain in printing position. For example, ifit was desired to print $5.12, the lever 28 would be moved to 5, thelever 29 to 1, and the lever 30 to 2. This would cause the discs 19, 20,and 21 to move to such position, that the numerals 5, 1, and 2 would bein printing positions, and also the words Poi-responding to thosenumbers.

On the lever 28 directly below the under surface of the casing 11, Ihave provided a stop 45, which will prevent the lever 28 from extendingon through the casing 11. The remaining levers are provided withinclined portions 46, which prevent the possibility of the levers fromextending on through the slots 37 It will be understood that when thediscs are rotated about half of their circumference, the pin or pivot 88would be substantially above the shaft 16 or sleeve 18. If no stop wereprovided on the levers, they would merely extend on through or upthrough the slots 37. By providing the inclined portions 46 and the stop45, this is absolutely prevented, and in order to move or rotate thediscs, it is necessary to draw the levers forwardly within the slots 37.

in order to ink the type desired to be printed, I have provided thefollowing described mechanism:

Fixed on the shaft 16 is the pair of downwardly extending arms 47 and48. Each of the arms 47 and 48 are provided with a pair of slots 49 and50. Received within the slot 50 is the shaft 51 and within the slot 49is the shaft 52.

Fixed on the shafts 51 and 52 are the inking rollers 53 and 54. Theroller 53 is of the type, which serves as a reservoir for distributingor supplying ink to the roller 54, which is designed to come in contactwith the type about to be printed from.

Each of the shafts 51 and 52 have fixed to their outer ends the bar 55.Springs 56 are provided, which have one of their ends fixed to the bar55 and the other ends fixed to the arms 47 and 48. 4

From the construction of the parts just described, it will be seen thatthe springs 56 will tend normally to draw the inking mechanism towardsthe upper edges of the slots 49 and 50.

Fixed on the base 10 are the guide devices 57. which are so formed thatthey engage the inking mechanism adjacent to each of the edges of therollers 58 and 54. The guide devices 57 are bent upon themselves attheir forward port-ion at 58, so as to form a downwardly extendingcurved portion Extending rearwardly from the curved portion is the flatportion 60. The flat portion 60 is substantially in line with theprinting position of the various discs. Near the rear edge-of theflattened portion 60 of the guide devices is the curved portion 61,having the downwardly extending portion 62. The curved portion '61 andthe downwardly extending portion 62 ot-the guide devices 57 form a stopfor the rearward movement of the inking device.

Fixed on the upper end of the arm 47 and substantially at right anglesthereto is the arm 62. The arm 62 sets adjacent to the end wall 12.Fixed on theshaft 16 by means of the set screw 63, adjacent to the wall13 is the arm 64:, which is substantially similar to the arm 62. Thearms 62 and 6t are each provided with the rollers 65 in their upperends. Pivoted to the casing 11 are the bell crank levers 66, which areprovided with the curved portion 67 at their upper ends. Pivoted to theforward ends of the levers 66 is the platen 68 which'is provided withthe curved edges 69. 'The platen 68 is fixed or pivoted tothe bell cranklevers 66 by means of the pivot 70.

The upper ends of the levers 66 are'in line with the arms 62 and 64.'The ope-ration of the main crank handle'17 will cause the arms 62 and64 to move downwardly until their rollers 65 engage the curved portion67 of the bell crank levers 66.

As soon as the arms 62 and 64 engage the levers 66, they cause them tobe moved to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 of thedrawings, thus causing the platen, which is pivotedto the forward end ofthe bell crank levers to be raised forwardly untilit-strikes against thefiat portions 60 of the guides 57.

In order to provide some means for returning or withdrawing the arms 62and 64- to their original position, I have pro vided the spring 71,which is fixed to the arm 64: and to the end wall 13. The spring willyieldingly tend to hold the arms 62 and 64 in the position shown insolid lines in Figure 2 of the drawings.

In order to cause the platen 68 to be moved downwardly or to inoperativeposition, I have provided the spring 72, which has one end fixed to thecenter of the platen and its other end fixed to the base 10.

It will be seen that when the main handle 17 is operated or moved, whichcauses the arms 62 and 64 to engage the bell crank levers 66, that itwill also cause the arms 4-7 and 48, which support the inking mechanismto be moved to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 of thedrawings.

During the travel of the inking device, the

rollers 53 and M will be drawn forwardly,

and against the flat portions of the guide device 57. thereby causingthe type which has been moved to position directly above the platen tobecome inked. The inking mechanism will be carried off of the flatportion 60 and out of the way before the roller 65 platen upwardly to isshown in F igure 4 of the drawings, and

will not be in the road of any of the inking mechanism or the mechanismfor caus ing-the platen to-rise and lower.

The platen 68 is provided with a stop 74, which limits the'inw'ardmovement of the check. The end wall 12 is provided with a. slot '75through which is extended the check or draft '76; The check or draft 76is provided with the ordinary dollar sign 77.

In the practical operation of my device,"

the operator slides the end of -the check, having the dollar sign 77thereon through the opening 75 until it strikes the stop 74. It will beunderstood that the stop 74 may be made adjustable on-the platen 68 inorder to permit checks to be inserted further into the protector. henthe check has reached the stop 74;, the operator then moves one of thelevers, preferably the lever 28, until it rests against the indicatingcharacter bar. Thenhe moves the next lever, 29 for example, to 5, thelever 30 tov the character bar, the lever 31 to 1, and the lever 32- to2. He then rotates the crank handle 17, which first inks the printingcharacters and causes the inking device to be held in the position shownin dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings. Then the arms 62 and 64engage the levers 66, which causes the check and platen to be raised,until the check is in engagement with the inked characters on the discs.The springs 71 and 72 will tend to cause the parts to be moved back toinoperative position. Thecheck may then be withdrawn from the machineand will have printed upon it, the portions as shown in Figure 3 of thedrawings, that is the bar, then the 5 with the word iive above it, thenthe bar, which indicates the cents lines,

and the Figures 1 and 2 with the words one and two above them, whichmeans that the check is for $5.12.

By placing the bar directly in front'of the first dollar figure andafter the dollar sign 77, prevents anyone from inserting an extranumeral in order to raise or alter the check. The bar is comparativelylong and extends through the date as well as through the signature onthe check, and thus prevents any alteration of that part of the check,as well as protecting the amount from being raised.

All of the levers which have been moved to various positions are thenmoved to the extreme rear limit of their movement Within the slots 37.When they are in this position, no printing characters will be inposition to print.

The advantages or" this device are that I am able to print the word andnumeral together, so as to provide a double method of safety, and I usethe bar between the dollars and cents and before the first dollar figureand thus prevent any possible raising of the check. The factthat the barextends through the date and the signature on the check also protectsthe check or draft against any possible alteration.

ie'ome changes may be made 1n the construction and arrangement of theparts or my improved check protector without departing from theessential features and pur poses of my invention, and it is my intentionto cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use ofmechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within theirscope.

I claim as my invention:

1. in check protector, the combination oi a series of discsindependently rotatable, means for operating them, each disc having upona portion of its periphery a series of flattened type surfaces, and eachof said fiattened type surfaces having thereon a numeral and a series ofletters forming a word corresponding to the numeral, their printingsurfaces being all on the same plane and all of said characters beingarranged to print one above the other in a single type space, said discsbeing also each provided with an elongated line printing portion soarranged that when the line printing portion is placed in position forprinting, between two of the printing discs having their type printingportions in printing position, an impression will be made of twonumerals side by side with a type space between them and above eachnumeral a printed word corresponding to the numeral, and between the twonumerals a printed line separating the numerals.

2. In a check protector, the combination of a series of discsindependently rotatable, means for rotating them, each disc having upona portion of its periphery aseries of flattened type surfaces, eachbeing provided with type, said discs being also each provided with anelongated line printing portion so arranged that when the line printingport-ion is placed in position for printing between two of the printingdiscs having their type printing portions in printing position, animpression will be made from the two sets of type side by side and anelongated printing line between them, and wnereby when the device isused for a check protector and has type representing numerals, there maybe printed directly in front of and close to the first-dollar numeral anupright elongated line, and another immediately in the rear of the lastdollar numeral, for the purposes stated.

Des Moines, Iowa, May 28, 1920.

JOHN A. HUIZENGA.

